Facebook and Google and other advertising businesses are data factories, and regulation will be most effective if it lets users look inside
The iPhone XR Delay, India, and China; Discriminatory Job Ads on Facebook; EU Versus Internet Follow-Up
More follow-up on the iPhone, then how discriminatory job ads on Facebook demonstrate how to police bad behavior on platforms with zero marginal costs. Plus, follow-up on The European Union Versus the Internet.
Spotify and the Labels, Labels and Aggregation, Newspapers and Texture
Spotify and the labels are at odds, largely because the latter don’t understand their competitive environment. Then, Apple is trying to build the news bundle.
MoviePass, Finally; Value Chains and Unit Costs; Atlassian and Slack
Finally, the MoviePass breakdown so many have been asking for; then, another story to catch-up on, about Atlassian, Slack, and leadership.
Android-EU Follow-Up, Google’s Earnings, Facebook and the Stock Market
Follow-up on Google’s EU decision, and a reminder that Google really good for consumers. Then, Google’s strong quarterly results, and why the understanding Facebook’s strategic advantages may be divorces from their stock price.
Zillow, Aggregation, and Integration
Zillow fits the description of an aggregator, but it hasn’t transformed its industry due to a lack of integration. Now it is trying to do exactly that.
Could Spotify Be Netflix?, Calculating Spotify’s LTV and CAC
Spotify is in a much weaker position that Netflix was, because it could not build up a user base before negotiating with its suppliers. However, the company does seem to be acquiring customers efficiently.
The Aggregator Paradox
Google is winning with AMP and blocking ads in Chrome: both seem bad, but aren’t they actually good for consumers? That is the paradox of aggregation.
Facebook’s Motivations
The impact of Facebook’s News Feed changes on the media is far less interesting than what the changes — and their stated purpose — say about Facebook itself.
Disney-Fox Deal Announced, Horizontal Antitrust, Whither Hulu
The Disney-21st Century Fox deal is official, and the antitrust questions continue to loom large: there are clear issues with regards to a horizontal merger, but is having a vertical competitor to Netflix worth it?